The Berlin Process 2024: A Focus on  Democracy and Regional Challenges

As the Berlin Process marked its 10th anniversary in 2024,  the geopolitical and domestic contexts for both WB6 and the EU have significantly changed. While economic integration remains central, 2024’s summit also emphasized the critical issues of democracy, the rule of law, and countering external influences from Russia. Before the 2024 Summit, the  Civil Society Forum convened to address pressing concerns about governance in the WB6 countries.  Think Tanks urged leaders to adopt a resolution emphasizing the rule of law as a concern for EU accession reforms.  In this context, they urged governments of WB6 countries “to demonstrate a strong commitment to enforcing the rule of law standards as preconditions for the acceleration of the EU accession-related reforms, in line with the Fundamentals First EU enlargement principle.“ 

The participants noted the need to focus on expanding local ownership, improving monitoring, and increasing visibility through Civil Society Organizations-led communication, fostering bottom-up approaches and active participation of local actors. The points made in the Chair’s Conclusion confirm the commitment of the Berlin Process to strengthening democracy and building strong institutions through cooperation between parliaments, civil society and youth. 

​​Regarding this, it is crucial to note that there are already partnerships that support the Berlin Process’s goal of bolstering democracy and creating robust institutions via cooperation between parliaments, youth, and civil society. The Civil Society & Think Tank Forum (CSF) is one of them; it has been fundamental to the Berlin Process from the start. Through the CSF, the official side forum of the Berlin Process, civil society actors and media representatives from Germany and the EU engage with German and EU lawmakers, as do civil society representatives from the Western Balkan nations. This year’s CSF established seven theme working groups to work with civil society leaders to develop targeted recommendations. 

These groups covered a wide range of important topics, including energy, climate change, and decarbonization; dealing with the past and reconciliation; gender and diversity; the common regional market and mobility; environmental protection and sustainable economic development; disinformation and cyber threats; EU integration and the Berlin Process. All groups‘ discussions included cross-cutting subjects like youth, minorities, the rule of law, and local issues. Interestingly, the CSF was the first to integrate grassroots organizations from the Western Balkans and the EU in a special working group on diversity and gender.

The Youth Cooperation Office (RYCO), which was founded during the 2016 Paris Summit, is another project. The purpose of RYCO is to promote peace and cooperation among the local youth. The two main approaches to accomplish this are by introducing mobility and exchange programs and including youth in political decision-making processes. The platform also offers projects on having a productive conversation and accepting the past. There is a RYCO office in each Western Balkan capital. 

The Berlin Process Summit 2024 Chair’s Conclusions states: ,,The participants welcomed the recommendations from the Civil Society and Think Tank Forum and underlined the need for the role of civil society in building a strong democracy and prosperity in the Western Balkans.”

The EU’s intention to integrate the six Western Balkan states was reaffirmed by German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock at the Berlin Process foreign ministers‘ meeting even before the Berlin Process itself began. She said that EU member states had agreed that they did not want any grey areas in Europe that Russian President Vladimir Putin might perceive as his region of influence. The German foreign minister has described the enlargement of the EU to include the WB6 as a necessity.    Due in large part to Russia’s actions against Ukraine, the summit was held against a backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty. Participants in the summit reiterated the Berlin Process’s pivotal role in fostering regional ties and advancing the Western Balkans‘ EU membership.

Concerns over Moscow’s influence in the Western Balkans have grown in the West since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Several European nations have expressed support for the region’s EU membership while cautioning against the possibility that Russia could destabilize the area as a result of the invasion. 

The outcome of the Berlin Process in this context is that the participants stressed the crucial importance of the process in the context of geopolitical unpredictability and Russia’s aggressive campaign against Ukraine. The Berlin Process catalyzes regional cooperation and an accelerator of the EU integration process due to its inclusive format that views all Western Balkan nations equally.

Criticism and Challenges of the Berlin Process

It is widely accepted that the Berlin Process is valued more globally for its ability to unite the divided Balkan nations and attempt to advance important accords and changes for the region’s nations. 

However, even a platform like the Berlin Process is not without its critics and the challenges it faces.  Stephen Doughty (UK Minister of State for Europe), in his speech at the latest edition of the Berlin Process, highlighted the challenges that the Berlin Process will have to address in the future. He emphasised that more jobs must be created for young people to curb the „brain drain“, which negatively impacts a country’s economy. He addressed the protection of women’s and girls‘ rights, which he sees as part of ensuring pluralistic democratic societies, which are an essential pillar in the creation of a more peaceful, stable and prosperous region. 

Another challenge for the region is the ageing population. The OECD warns that high international migration and low fertility will cause the number of working-age people to double by 2050. This prediction poses a challenge to securing living standards.

In addition to the ageing population, the OECD has also pointed to the declining trust of citizens in public institutions, with trends such as political instability, distrust in electoral processes, and party fragmentation contributing to this. If these trends persist, it is anticipated to further undermine public confidence in institutions, boost migration, impact the EU integration process, and degrade the quality of institutions, which may then impact the business environment, education, and other development-promoting sectors.  

We cannot miss recent political changes, like the rise of far-right movements in Europe and Donald Trump’s return to power in the USA, which could possibly impact the WB region in different ways, for example, in trade relations or environmental matters.  

The criticism of the Berlin Process lies mainly in the perception of the WB6 nations themselves, who consider the Berlin Process to have been imposed and that the Balkan countries were not sufficiently involved. Also, the very term „Berlin Process“ can be considered an unfortunate formulation, as the term gives the idea that Berlin’s interests take precedence over those of the Balkans. This suggests that in the future the perception of the Berlin Process itself among the citizens of the WB6 countries needs to be improved, so that the citizens of the WB6 are not seen only as external decision-makers.